Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Repeating Nightmares
by Alek's Mill
Summary: Orphaned by a sudden bandit raid, a young Eevee named Ven is left to fend for himself in a desert land ravaged by war. After crossing paths with an amnesiac Pikachu possessing incredible powers, Ven becomes irrevocably involved with the fate of a world he wants nothing to do with.
1. Chapter 1: Matter of Chance

**_-:-_**

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**_Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Repeating Nightmares_**

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**Chapter 1: Matter of Chance**

Night greeted the desert with cold silence, a light breeze the only hint of the coming sandstorm. A crescent moon loomed in the star-filled sky casting its light over the sea of sand. All was still in the heavens, with the exception of a single shooting star hurtling earthwards.

All was calm that evening, with the exception of a single young Eevee.

_Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!_

Tears stung at Ven's eyes, a sob threatening to escape his parched throat and into the tattered red scarf muffling his mouth. The little fox Pokémon kicked up sand in his mad rush, his chestnut fur whipping around wildly.

_No, no, no, this isn't happening!_ Ven curled up his ears and desperately tried to ignore the distant screams and shouts his acute hearing was picking up. How the hell had this happened? Lucidia Town was supposed to be safe-!

Occupied with his thoughts, Ven lost his footing and tumbled down a sand dune. Spotting a large boulder, the Eevee scrambled over and pushed himself up against the tough rock in an effort to hide. Tired and light-headed, Ven buried his head in his paws with only his ragged gasps keeping him company in the otherwise silent night. The screaming had stopped; he wasn't sure whether to be glad about this or not.

_Calm down Ven. Just CALM DOWN_, the Eevee told himself and tried to control his panicked breathing. Water was sparse in Chiora; he couldn't let himself get dehydrated. He couldn't let himself die of thirst out here.

Through squinted eyes, the Eevee suddenly saw a streak of light cut across the black sky and disappear at the horizon. A shooting star. Had this been any other night, Ven would've been fascinated by such a sight. On those rare evenings the town elders had deemed to it safe to remove the barrier, Ven had always been entranced by the lights that danced around the open night sky. But tonight, there were other things on his mind.

In his dying breaths his father had told him to run and never look back, that it was too late for Lucidia Town. But how could Ven leave behind the only home he knew? He had to get help. Somehow.

_Now how are you gonna do that? _The rational part of his mind mockingly asked him. He was in the middle of nowhere in an unfamiliar desert with no survival skills to speak of. He was weak and thin and underfed. The nearest settlement had to be miles away. The situation was hopeless.

He was going to die.

The thought rang resolutely through his head. After all, he had no idea how to fight: one of the detriments of having lived a sheltered life in a town cut off from the rest of the world. The bandits were going to tear him apart, just as they had torn apart the illusions that were supposed to keep Lucidia Town hidden. They were going to kill him just as they had surely killed his brother and sister, who'd run back into the inferno looking for their mother. Just as they had killed his father, who'd jumped in the way of claws and teeth to save him.

_I'm sorry Papa. I guess I really can't do anything you tell me to. I can't even live on for you…_

His mind wandered back to the shooting star, and Ven remembered the ridiculous superstitions his parents had told him, how shooting stars were supposed to make your wishes come true.

"I wish I could kill them," the young Pokémon growled. "I wish I wasn't so weak. I want those monsters to pay for what they did."

Ven closed his eyes and lowered his head into the soft fabric of his scarf, laughing at himself for his childishness. Simply wishing for something wasn't going to get him anywhere. And as he hadn't bothered to cover the tracks he'd left behind, the only place he was headed was death.

Ven's exhausted body stiffened as the sound of shuffling sand grew louder and louder. The Eevee clenched his eyes even harder, hoping for a quick end. Swift and dignified was definitely preferable to slow and painful.

_ I don't want to die…_

"Hi there."

Ven looked up to see a rodent's curious face positioned uncomfortably close to his own, so close that he could feel it breathing against his forehead.

The Eevee immediately let out a high-pitched shriek and jumped out of his hiding spot. So much for a dignified death.

"_Ouch!_" the unfamiliar Pokémon clutched its longs ears and flinched. "D-don't shout! I didn't realize how sensitive Pikachu ears were…"

A Pikachu? Ven stared at the whimpering mouse in disbelief. He recognized the red cheeks and characteristic lightning-bolt tail from books and drawings; he was indeed looking at a Pikachu. A real, live _Pikachu_. The Eevee couldn't comprehend what he was seeing; there weren't supposed to be any of those left in the desert. Electric-types had all died off ages ago.

"You're an Eevee right?" the Pikachu quickly recovered. The mouse's voice was cheerful, almost annoying really, and its straight-edged tail was energetically bobbing left and right. Female Pikachu had creased tails, Ven recalled, so this one must've been male. "Known as the 'Evolution Pokémon', capable of taking on different evolutionary forms to adapt to harsh environments, average weight of 6.5 kilograms, average height of -"

The odd Pokémon stopped mid-sentence and scratched his head. "Sorry, I was rambling. I do that often. At least, I think I do... So, what's your name?" C'mon, it's pretty obvious you're not mute, so speak up," the Pikachu smiled as though to encourage him. "What do people call you? Why were you hiding back there?"

"P-Pikachu?" Ven was dumbfounded. "H-how… there aren't supposed to be any Pikachu here!"

"Obviously that's not true," the rodent replied, a hint of concern entering his smile. "Are you feeling alright?"

"N-no!" Ven was furious. Where the hell had this Pikachu come from? And why was he acting so nonchalant? Did this weirdo not realize a whole town was being raided barely a kilometer away? "I'm NOT alright!"

"Oh! Um, sorry to hear that," the mouse seemed confused. "I'd offer to help, but I kind of need some help myself."

The Pikachu stared at Ven expectantly, and when the fox didn't respond he hurriedly added, "See, I have amnesia. I have no idea where I am or what I'm doing here-"

"Leave me alone."

"H-huh?" the Pikachu backed off, looking hurt.

Just as he hadn't given a damn about shooting stars, Ven couldn't bring himself to care about this stranger. No matter how insane, how impossible it was that he had found a Pikachu in the middle of Chiora. What did it matter?

"I-I'm sorry," the mouse hesitantly approached him again. "T-that was selfish of me, right? Asking a total stranger for help. Is there anything I can-"

"There you are, ya little furball!"

Ven spun back frantically, the familiar gruff voice setting his fur on edge. It was them. The bandits that had killed his father.

"Ha, you thought you could get away from us?!" another, higher-pitched voice added.

"Hey look, a Tyranitar and a Sneasel! Are those your friends?" The Pikachu pointed at the odd pair. From atop a sand dune, a gigantic armoured monster and a scrawny weasel were glaring at the Eevee with manic eyes.

"No you idiot, they're-!" Ven had an idea and stopped himself. If he made a run for it now and left this weirdo behind, the bandits would go for the mouse. He might actually have a chance.

Then he had the sudden mental image of a mangled mess of yellow fur, torn to shreds and covered in blood.

Damn it, weirdo or not, Ven couldn't just leave him.

"-They're bandits you idiot! Run!" the Eevee cried.

"W-what? You mean they're going to hurt us?"

Ven broke into a dash, but looked back to see that the Pikachu was rooted to the spot, trembling in fear. The idiot wasn't even moving!

"Yes! Now run!"

The Tyranitar gave an earth-shattering roar and charged towards them.

"N-no! Stay away!" the Pikachu cried and curled up into a ball.

_CRACK!_

A massive bolt of electricity burst out from the Pikachu's tail and struck the charging beast square in the chest.

_"AAAAAUGH!"_ The Tyranitar shrieked in pain as the electricity consumed its rock-plated body, burning it to a crisp. In mere seconds the giant Pokémon had been reduced to ash.

Ven stared at the trembling mouse with awe as the terrified Sneasel fled into the night.

"How…How did you do that!?"

"H-huh? What? What just happened?" the Pikachu asked, still curled up.

"You just obliterated that thing!" Ven said in amazement. "How the heck did a little Pikachu like you destroy a massive Tyranitar like that!?"

"Wait. I…did _that_?" the Pikachu poked his head out and stared at the pile of ash. "I…I don't remember-"

The Electric-type looked absolutely clueless.

Ven was having a hard time believing it as well, but there was definitely an ash pile where there had once been a Tyranitar. The Eevee gave out a forepaw and helped the mouse up.

"You saved my life!" he declared.

"Oh! I-I did?" the mouse tilted his questioningly. "W-well, I can't exactly remember doing anything…"

"So you said you have amnesia, right?" Ven suddenly asked.

"Huh? Y-yeah!" The mouse gave him a hopeful, pleading look. "I can't remember anything about myself. What my name is, where I am, what I'm doing here. Nothing!"

"Then I better return the favour. You saved my life, so it's only fair that I help you find yours."

"R-really!" The Pikachu broke into an overjoyed smile. "Thank you so much!"

If the mouse was suspicious of Ven's abrupt change in attitude, he didn't show it. The Pikachu tackled Ven into a grateful hug, knocking the wind out of the fox's lungs. "H-hey, ease up Zappy! Can't breathe-!"

"Hah ha, sorry!" the Pikachu let go of him, still grinning. "Zappy, huh? I guess that's a fitting name."

"Glad you think so," Ven gasped for air. "Let's move. Wind's picking up and we have to find some shelter."

The unassuming rodent nodded and followed him on his hind legs. Odd, as Ven was sure that Pikachu were quadrupeds.

As his new companion awkwardly waddled after him, the Eevee mentally patted himself on the back for his acting skills. He was grateful that the mouse had saved his life, sure. But that wasn't the only reason Ven was going to buddy up with the weirdo. Rage and determination was bubbling beneath his calm exterior. He focused on that anger, because he knew if it wavered for even a second he'd break down and give up all over again. Run, don't look back, and live. That was what his father had ordered him to do. And by Arceus, this time Ven was going to make him proud.

Ven would live on, alright. Not only that, he would avenge his father's death and make those bandits pay for destroying everything he held dear. And a clueless Pikachu with impossible powers was exactly what he needed.

A loose plan was already forming in the young Eevee's head. Just imagine what the mouse could do once it was properly trained, once it knew how to control its electricity. No bandit would stand a chance! All he had to do was stay in Zappy's good books, and getting revenge would be a snap!

Perhaps there really _was _something to this whole 'wishing upon a star' myth.

"Faster, Zappy!"

"Zack."

"Eh?"

"Zack," the Pikachu decided confidently. "Call me Zack. It's a human name and it kinda sounds like 'zap', right?"

"A human-?" Ven started, perplexed.

"Oh yeah, I forgot mention. I _look_ like a Pikachu, but I'm_ actually_ a human."

…

"What."

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**A/N: **Don't want to waste your time with author's notes so I'll make this quick.

Thanks for any views, follows and favs. Reviews are especially awesome. Anything I should change, anything I could improve, anything horrendously awful about my story, this rookie writer would love to hear it. And without further ado, please enjoy my addition to the lore of the PMD universe. A world inhabited by only Pokémon lies ahead.

A broken world of adventure, mystery and horror awaits your arrival.


	2. Chapter 2: What Remains

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**Chapter 2: What Remains**

"A human," the Pikachu declared. "I'm a human so I should have a human name."

"…No you're not," the Eevee said stubbornly, staring at the mouse as if he'd grown a second head. Bright yellow fur, red cheeks, lightning-bolt tail... Yup, this was definitely not a human. Ven had seen pictures of humans in books before, and 'Zack' was way too short to be one. And far too yellow. And furry.

"You're a Pikachu," he concluded after much scrutinizing.

"Maybe right now, but I was a human before," Zack replied just as stubbornly. "I'm sure of it."

"Of course you are," the Eevee rolled his eyes. "Well, Mr. Human, welcome to the world of Pokémon."

"Aw, thanks Ven!" the Pikachu grinned. "But I think there were Pokémon back where I'm from, too."

"I'm kidding Zappy,"Ven sighed. "You can't actually be a human because, in case you didn't notice, you're in _Chiora_. Don't you know anything?"

"Chiora? Is that what this place is called?" Zack smiled sheepishly. "And yup, I don't know anything. Except that I was a human a little while ago."

Ven took a step back from the smiling mouse. Good Arceus, he'd befriended a complete lunatic. Just his luck.

"We'll talk about this later," the Eevee shook his head in disbelief. "We need shelter, and I know a place where we can stay. Just follow me."

Surprisingly, the Pikachu didn't protest the change in subject.

"Lead the way," he said cheerfully.

**_-:-_**

Right at the edge of Lucidia Town, a ways from the main square, was a small but sturdy shack. Miraculously the structure was still in one piece, spared from the raid thanks to its secluded location. Ven reflected angrily that Goro would've probably survived if he'd stayed put in his house instead of rushing into town to help.

Ven silently apologized to his newly-deceased friend as he pushed open the loose wooden door. Inside was a deceptively large room filled to the brim with tattered books, cracked jars, and odd mechanisms.

"Nice place," Zack said as he browsed through the cluttered shelves; the Pikachu was completely captivated by the contents of the room. "Is this where you live?"

"No. This is my friend's house," Ven replied. "He won't mind if we stay here for a bit."

The Eevee took a seat on the floor, content to let the Pikachu explore the room until the sandstorm died out. As Zack curiously prodded at a metal headdress adorned with small orbs, Ven decided that 'friend' might not be the right word to describe Goro. The Golett had been _at least_ a few decades older than him after all. But then, the old Ground-type was the one Pokémon in Lucidia Town who had seemed to enjoy his company. As the years went by, Ven had found himself hanging around with Goro more and more, perhaps even more than with his own family.

"So you're a human?" Ven asked, getting Zack's attention.

"Yeah, I am!" The Pikachu put down the headdress and cheerfully dashed over.

"Or _was_, I guess," Zack corrected himself as he took a seat next to Ven. "I mean, right now I'm a Pikachu. Gotta say, it isn't as awkward as I expected it to be. I've got opposable thumbs and I can still walk on my hind legs. Not too bad."

"Er…for a supposed human whose been transformed into a Pikachu, you're being incredibly nonchalant about it," Ven interjected.

"Really? You think so?" the Pikachu tilted his head. Ven narrowed his eyes dubiously. This guy was getting less believable by the second.

"Uh-huh. I mean, if I woke up one day in a completely unfamiliar land and I'd been transformed into ,say, a Bidoof, I think I'd be having a panic attack."

"You don't believe me?"

"No offense, but I'm having a hard time believing you, yeah. Humans are extinct in Chiora, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. So are Pikachu actually."

"Ha ha, well that's obviously not true," Zack chuckled. "So tell me more about this place, the desert. Like I said, I don't know anything about…Chiora, was it?"

_Seems like you don't know anything about anything, really_, Ven thought to himself. But with the desert winds still howling loudly outside their shelter, there wasn't much else he could do to occupy himself.

"Sure," the Eevee resigned. "Quick disclaimer though. I… kind of…"

"Yeah?" Zack smiled again, urging him to continue. Arceus, why was he feeling so embarrassed about this?

"I've… lived in this town for as long as I can remember," Ven explained quickly, feeling his ears heat up. His sheltered life had always been a sore spot for the young fox. "I…I don't actually know that much about Chiora myself…"

"I'm not complaining," Zack laughed. "You've gotta know more than I know!"

"Alright. Just warning you that everything I know about the desert comes from what my friend told me. All second hand info basically."

The Pikachu looked at him expectantly with wide eyes and Ven struggled to find a place to start. It had always been the Golett teaching _him_ Chiora's history, and the Eevee wasn't used to the role reversal.

"So…A long time ago, Chiora was a beautiful region full of forests and rivers and lakes," Ven recited, trying to remember Goro's words. "Humans and Pokémon lived together in harmony. Life was all hunky-dory around here. Then one day, everything changed. The humans disappeared and never came back. The water dried up and the rain never came. And with the humans gone, the Psychic-type Pokémon decided they were better than everyone else. That they were smarter and superior and all other Pokémon were stupid animals. Made their own little supremacist society and started calling themselves the Luminaries."

Ven paused to take a breath. "Since you're a _human_, you must know what a Pokéball is, right?"

The Pikachu didn't seem to register the slight mocking tone in Ven's voice and nodded.

"Well, after the humans disappeared, no one could figure out how they worked. Little balls that could contain and control any Pokémon, regardless of size? They were practically magic."

"Were?"

"They were, up until a few decades ago. That was when the Luminaries discovered how Pokéballs worked. How to use them and make them. And once they worked out Pokéball tech? They started catching other Pokémon, enslaving them. Before then, they used mind-control to control us, but it wasn't efficient. Some Pokémon are immune to Psychic powers, and some could throw off the brainwashing if they really tried. But once someone's caught in a Pokéball, there's no escape. The Pokémon has to listen to their Trainer's commands no matter what, and it's impossible to break out."

"Once they were powerful enough, the Luminaries took over an entire abandoned human city, and all the other Pokémon were forced to flee into the desert. Not that I've ever witnessed it firsthand, but there's apparently a huge war going on in this region. The Luminaries are obsessed with enslaving every last one of us, while the free Pokémon are trying to fight them off and just barely surviving."

"I suppose you must think that these free Pokémon are really brave and just and all that, huh?" Ven asked derisively. The Eevee continued without waiting for a response. "Well that's far from the truth. Some Pokémon have it really bad, so they've resorted to becoming bandits to survive out here. They hate the Luminaries more than anyone else for ruining their lives, but they don't give a damn about other free Pokémon. They kill and destroy and steal from anyone they come across, Luminary or otherwise. They're just as horrible as those tyrants."

"The bandits...They're the ones who were chasing you, huh?" the Pikachu asked. It was more a statement than a question.

"...You're smarter than you look Zappy. Yeah, those Pokémon who were chasing me were bandits." That was enough story time, Ven thought angrily. This _human _didn't need to know anything more. He didn't need to know anything about his town, his family…

The Pikachu took note of his companion's stony silence, and didn't pursue the topic any further.

A few moments passed in awkward silence, and Ven composed himself.

"I think that's why my parents never wanted me to leave this town, Lucidia," Ven continued. "There used to be a barrier around this place, y'know? Illusions and spells that were supposed to keep this place hidden from view… Chiora's a dangerous place..."

"Or so my friend told me," Ven concluded, unable to keep the resentment out of his voice. Even now, the Eevee couldn't understand why his parents had never told him any of this themselves. They'd always coddled him and his siblings, never letting them out after dark, ordering them to never leave Lucidia's boundaries.

If they had really cared about his safety so much, why had they never told him of the Luminaries or the bandits that plagued the world beyond their protected, hidden haven? It would've been a damn effective way to discourage him from wanting to leave. Had they thought he was too young to know about the oh-so 'terrible' secrets of the world? Looking back, Ven even had the sneaking suspicion his parents had always disapproved of his meetings with Goro.

"So what's on your mind?" Ven asked the mouse. Zack was knitting his brow in concentration, obviously processing everything Ven had told him.

"There's a war going on here... "The mouse was mumbling quietly to himself. "Maybe _that's_ what I'm here to..."

"Say what?"

Zack stared hard at the floor and shook his head dismissively. "Nothing..."

"You sure?'

"Hey Ven?" the Pikachu looked back up at him, his eyes gleaming with determination. "...I know I must seem crazy to you, but... I feel like there's something really important I have to do. Like I ended up here for a reason, to do a job, only I can't remember what it is exactly. And I could really use your help."

"...How can I prove to you that I was a human?" the mouse asked him, uncharacteristically serious.

Ven blinked in surprise. Was the Pikachu really serious about that? Perhaps he should humour him; Zack seemed sincere enough…

The Eevee rummaged in one of the nearby boxes and pulled out a heavy leather-bound book. Ven handed the mouse the large tome.

"This is a book written by humans," he explained. "I don't know how my friend got a hold of this, but what I _do_ know is that it's written in Unown."

Zack looked at him blankly.

"That's the language of the humans," Ven explained, trying to control his exasperation. "Pokémon used to know how to read Unown in the past, but when the humans disappeared it became a forgotten script. If you really are a human, you should be able to translate this, right?"

Zack opened the book to a random page and looked over the strange patterns and runes.

"This is…English…" the mouse mumbled more to himself than to Ven.

"_Pick clean the bones of Pokémon_

_Caught in the sea or stream._

_Thank them for the meals they provide,_

_And pick their bones clean._

_When the bones are as clean as can be,_

_Set them free in the water from which they came._

_The Pokémon will return, fully fleshed, and it begins anew."_

Apparently finished the passage, Zack turned his gaze back to the Eevee.

"Um…Ven? Since you can't read Eng-Unown… how will this prove I know the language? It's not like you can verify I'm reading this right…"

Oh. He hadn't foreseen that problem.

Ven took a moment to think, and snatched the book out of Zack's hands. The Eevee tore out the page Zack had supposedly read and stuffed it into a leather bag he picked off the floor.

"Just hold onto this page. There must be Pokémon out there who can read Unown, and we can make sure you can really read this if we ever meet them," Ven said, handing the bag over to the Pikachu. "Who knows, there might even be other humans-turned-Pokémon out there, too."

"So… you won't believe me until then?" Zack asked sadly.

Ven looked at the Pikachu's drooping ears and tiny pout and decided that he disliked sad-Zack even more than annoyingly-cheerful-Zack.

"Look, Zap…Zack. Until we find a way to prove a hundred percent that you're a human… I'll take your word for it."

The Pikachu's eyes brightened. "Really? Promise?"

"Yeah," Ven sighed in assurance. "This is completely insane and doesn't make any sense at all… but then, Pikachu are supposed to be extinct too, right? And Pikachu are _definitely _not supposed to be strong enough to kill a Tyranitar. It wouldn't be the first impossible thing that's happened tonight. Besides, either you're a really good actor or you sincerely believe what you're telling me." _Which doesn't necessarily mean it's true, _Ven thought to himself.

The Pikachu jumped up and tried to hug Ven again, but the Eevee had anticipated this and jumped out of the way. Zack peeled himself off the floor, whining, and Ven noted that the pattering of sand on wood had stopped.

"Sandstorm's over," he said to himself.

The Eevee rushed over to an ornate cabinet filled with jars and picked one out filled with a half-dozen bright blue berries.

Goletts didn't need food to sustain themselves, but Goro had always kept spare berries around for Ven to snack on during his frequent visits. Ven twisted open the jar's lid and fished out one of the Oran berries. He gave its skin a quick tap with his forepaw, and was pleased to find it fairly hard. It was still edible.

Ven balanced the round fruit on his tail and trotted back to Zack.

"Here. Eat this while you wait," Ven tossed the berry to Zack and made for the door. "While you're at it, pack the rest of those berries in the bag, too.

"What? You're leaving?" the mouse asked, picking up the slightly bruised fruit.

"I'll be back soon," the Eevee answered, muffling his face with his scarf. "There's something I have to check on. _Stay here_."

Ven stressed the last two words as he pushed open the door. Leaving Zack to nibble on his snack, the Eevee started the trek towards his home.

**_-:-_**

Of course, the Eevee didn't seriously believe Zack's assertions that he used to be a human. Not when he could barely get his mind around the idea of a Tyranitar-slaying Pikachu. And of course, he doubted that they'd ever run into someone who could read Unown. It was a forgotten script for crying out loud.

But he had to keep the mouse happy and on his side, especially since _Ven_ wasn't going to be the one slaying Tyranitars anytime soon.

And he supposed he had to make Zack smile.

Ven stopped in his tracks at the thought. He... wanted to make Zack smile? It was true; for whatever reason, seeing the stupid mouse so hopeless and disappointed in him had made the Eevee feel terrible. Like he had to physically cringe with guilt. Damn it, what was wrong with him? He couldn't go soft now, at a time like this; he had a mission to accomplish. Arceus, was this how his elder siblings had always felt about him? Exasperatedly annoyed with his youthful stupidity, yet feeling like they were inescapably responsible for him at the same time? Ven's head hurt.

_Damn, I really should have eaten an Oran berry before I left. Okay, just keep walking and... think about something else._

During one of Ven's history lessons with Goro, the old Golett had brought up the odd topic of corpse burials. Ven remembered being completely bemused by the idea of humans planting their bodies in the earth, like they were planting seeds in soil or something.

_"It's a ritual that humans used to perform," _the Ground-type had explained.

_"But why_?" the Eevee remembered asking._ "Why did humans go around burying corpses everywhere?"_

_"Perhaps they were hoping they would grow into human-trees?" _the Golett had offered. Ven had shrugged at the whimsical theory and the two had shared a laugh.

Now Ven had a theory of his own. Burying corpses put them out of sight and out of mind. If that had been the case, Ven whole-heartedly agreed with the humans. If the bodies were underground Ven wouldn't have to see them anymore. If they were underground, Ven wouldn't have to watch them decay, watch them slowly break down until a rotting pile of bones and flesh was all that remained of his loved ones.

And that was why he was hell-bent on finding his family's bodies. Though they were probably mangled and bloody messes now, Ven was determined to give them a proper burial before he moved on. He needed the closure and, frankly, seeing what the bandits had done would only spur him on in his quest.

Ven silently walked into the remains of Lucidia. Stone houses had collapsed and were splattered with dried blood. Tiny flames crackled on broken beams of wood, somehow spared from the harsh winds. The town was a mess.

There had been a Houndoom, Ven vaguely recalled. The Fire-type had been the one who'd burned everything down, the one who'd engulfed his house with flames while his mother was still inside, the one who'd torn out his father's throat as easily as one would tear through a Pecha berry.

But there was something wrong. Something wrong besides the crumbled buildings or the fading embers of an evil Houndoom. There were no bodies.

There were silhouettes in the blood pools, spots on the gravel streets where corpses should've lain. But there were no bodies of friends and neighbors littering the town. Ven's head spun as he tried to understand this unexpected discovery. Raiding a town for its supplies was one thing, but what in Arceus's name would bandits want with dozens of mangled corpses?

The Eevee apprehensively approached his own smoldering home, fearful of what he'd see. The roof of the sandstone house had collapsed and his sister's garden was a trampled pile of burnt twigs and ashes. Even the swing attached to the dead tree in the yard was ruined.

And his father's body wasn't there.

"Wow, Ven. Lucidia Town is a mess."

Ven jumped, not recognizing the smiling Pikachu fast enough to stop the shriek that escaped his lips.

"WHAT THE HELL ZAPPY?!" he screamed. "DON'T JUMP ME LIKE THAT!"

"S-sorry!" Zack shrank away, clutching his long ears in discomfort. "I-I got bored and followed you here..."

Ven took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the leather bag he'd given Zack hanging over the mouse's shoulder. The haggard Eevee was relieved to see the Pikachu at least had the sense to bring it with him.

"Look at all this blood..." Zack murmured. "This is where you live?"

Ven didn't have the energy to respond. The Pikachu could figure this one out on his own.

"But then... if that's your house... does that mean..."

Understanding dawned on the mouse's face, which was quickly followed by a pitying grimace. He knew. He knew Lucidia Town had been attacked, and he knew that his friends and family had been killed. He didn't even care anymore that Zack knew. He was confused, he was lost, and his head was hurting from lack of sleep.

"Pick a house to sleep in," the exhausted Eevee sighed. "We'll scavenge for anything useful at dawn and set out for... somewhere, once it's brighter out. Or I guess we could look for help. Arceus knows we need some help..."

The Pikachu awkwardly led the way to the least ruined house he could find, and the Eevee was grateful that the mouse had shut up for once.

_**-:-**_

Ven was woken up by the crackling of fire. His fur stood on edge and his heart clenched in his chest as images of burning and infernos and Houndooms flooded his mind. Once the Eevee realized there was no danger, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself. It was still dark. And Zack was gone.

"Zack!" Ven burst through the door and ran outside. "Where are you!?"

The Eevee didn't have to go far. The Pikachu was happily prodding a massive fire with a stick of wood, humming a merry tune. A fire that was sure to attract the attention of every hostile for miles around.

"You like it?" Zack asked with a broad grin. "If you look at it from reeeaaally high up, the fire spells out 'HELP' in Unown!"

Ven's sleep-deprived brain barely heard the Pikachu's words. "What the hell are you doing?! You can't just be lighting bonfires in the middle of the night!" What're you _thinking_!?"

The Eevee pushed past Zack and desperately tried to stamp out the flames with his scarf, only succeeding in lighting the fabric on fire. Zack stood back and watched Ven's frantic attempts to save his scarf.

"What's wrong Ven?" he asked innocently, confusion entering his smile. "We needed help, and now a nice Pokémon will come along for sure!"

"Yeah, or every damn predator in the area!" Ven screamed. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Just as the Eevee succeeded in putting out his smoking scarf, a massive shape soared across the sky. Ven yelped in shock and dived for cover under a cracked beam. And of course, Zack just stood there and watched the massive bird descending, eyes brimming with curiosity. The Pikachu's stupidity was going to be the death of him.

"ZAPPY! Hide, now!" Ven hissed at the mouse.

Zack ignored him and the bird, at least five times as big as the mouse, gracefully landed in front of him with a flourish of blue and crimson feathers.

"Hi there!" Zack cheerfully greeted the stranger. "You're a Braviary, huh? The 'Valiant Pokémon', average height 1.5 meters and average weight of 41 kilograms. My name's Zack!"

"You're... a Pikachu," the bird said in a deep, masculine voice.

"Yeah, I heard those were extinct around here. Looks like that's not the case, eh?" Zack said. For Arceus's sake, it was like the weirdo was talking about the damn weather!

"You wouldn't be able to read Unown by any chance?" the Pikachu continued. "Cause this fire actually spells out 'HELP' in Unown, and you came by to help, right?"

"Unown?" the Braviary asked. "Sorry, no. The fire simply caught my attention."

"Ah. I see," Zack lowered his head in disappointment before looking back up hopefully. "But you're still going to help us?"

"Us?"

Ven fidgeted nervously from his hiding spot, but the movement evidently didn't escape the newcomer's notice. The bird pointed a large wing at Ven and said, "You. Eevee. Come out."

Ven slowly poked his head out of the rubble, suspicious.

"C'mon Ven!" Zack smiled. "I think this guy's friendly!"

"Chip," the Braviary said curtly. "My name's Chip. Member of Team Alpha and the Amber Guild."

"Say what now?" Ven asked, slowly making his way to the intimidating bird.

"The Amber Guild. Part of the Rebellion."

"Doesn't ring a bell," Ven replied.

Chip cocked his head, his face clearly asking, _don't you two know anything?_

"Ven's lived in this one town his entire life. He doesn't know much about the rest of the world," Zack answered for him. "And I have amnesia!"

It seemed like this Braviary didn't get flustered easily; the bird simply nodded his head at the new information, completely nonplussed.

"I see," he said. "Long story short, the Rebellion is an organization dedicated to overthrowing the Luminaries and ending the war."

Ven's ears perked up. Ending the war? Did that mean…?

"That means…you guys fight bad guys, right?" the Eevee asked hopefully.

"In a manner of speaking," the Braviary nodded. "The Rebellion's main goal is to stop the Luminaries' attempts to conquer Chiora."

"But you also fight criminals, too? Like, say... bandits?"

Chip nodded once more.

"Awesome..." Ven grinned and cheered internally. He pointed a forepaw to himself, then to Zack. "Chip. The two of us want to join the Rebellion."

* * *

**A/N:** Apologies for the extremely slow updates. Hopefully, I made up for that with the substantially longer chapter. Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated as always; I'd love to know how I can improve :)


	3. Chapter 3: Cold Reception

_**-:-**_

* * *

**Chapter 3: Cold Reception**

"Wait, we're joining the Rebellion?" Zack asked, surprised. "But Ven, I thought you said you were gonna help me! I still need figure out how I was transformed into a Pikachu, and what happened to my memories as a hu -"

The mouse was cut off as Ven slapped a paw over his mouth.

"Excuse us for a second," the Eevee grinned at Chip, forcefully pushing a dissenting Zack away from the stoic bird. As soon as they were out of the Braviary's earshot, the Pikachu broke out into a pout and glared at Ven.

"Ven, you promised!" he whined.

The Eevee glared back at the mouse, trying to keep his irritation in check. "Okay, first of all, don't tell everyone you meet that you're a human. We don't need other Pokémon thinking you're a lunatic, kapeesh?"

Zack looked like he wanted to argue further, but didn't say a word.

"Second, I _know_ what I promised you," Ven continued, hoping the mouse didn't realize that he had, in fact, completely forgotten about said promise. "But don't you get it? That Amber Guild Chip mentioned is obviously some big organization comprised of lots of different Pokémon. Joining this Rebellion would be the best way to learn more about your past. How else are we going to find someone who might know more about humans and what happened to you?"

The Eevee impatiently watched the Pikachu process his words. He needed the mouse to agree with him; a weakling like himself wasn't going to be able to hunt down bandits on his own, not without someone who actually had power to help him. He needed Zack, as crazy and stupid as he may have seemed.

"Ooooh, I understand!" The mouse finally smiled, his unhappy pout quickly melting away. "So you think there's bound to be someone who can help us in the Amber Guild!"

Ven nodded, satisfied that the Pikachu was easily persuaded. The two returned to Chip, who was silently doodling in the sand with his claws.

"Alright Chip. We're ready," Ven declared and securely fixed his scarf around his neck.

"Good. Skies are clear so I can fly you two to the base right now. We'll be there before sunrise."

Ven glanced up at the large bird to find his broad back covered in nothing but slick feathers; there wasn't anything like a horn or spike that they could hold onto for support. "How? Looks like we'd slip right off if we tried riding you."

"Hm? Who said anything about riding me?" the Braviary asked.

Without warning, powerful claws wrapped around Ven's midsection and yanked him upwards. The Eevee was about to protest when he found that he could barely breathe, let alone talk. It felt like a terrible weight was crushing him from above, and below him the ground was shrinking. It occurred to Ven that a fall from this height would kill him.

_Calm down. Calm down. Calm down! _the Eevee told himself frantically. In the span of a few seconds, Lucidia Town was a small black dot, and it kept shrinking and shrinking until it was completely gone from view. _I never knew I was afraid of heights. But then, I've never been so high up before. Just calm down Ven, just calm-_

And then he passed out.

**_-:-_**

When Ven came to, the first thing he noticed was that it was still night. The second thing he noticed was that he wanted to vomit. Chip's claw was wrapped around his midsection, and his tiny body rocked up and down with every wing beat. It was incredibly nauseating.

_Okay, turns out it was a good thing I didn't eat._ But in spite of the gnawing emptiness in his belly, the Eevee still felt like he was going to throw up. Zack, however, seemed absolutely fine. The little mouse was in the grasp of the Braviary's other claw, his leather bag still tightly secured to his body, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Ven, you awake!?" he yelled over the howling winds and the sound of beating wings. "This is so cool, isn't it!? Being so high up, feeling the wind against my fur; man, flying is awesome!"

Awesome? Ven and his stomach had to respectfully disagree. Not that he was going to say that out loud, as that would require opening his mouth.

Conversing with either Chip or Zack proved to be nearly impossible without screaming his head off and as a result, most of the flight went by uneventfully. However, the journey was far from uninteresting.

Ven had expected most of Chiora to be a featureless desert; a vast empty ocean of sand and rock with no interesting landmarks. On the contrary, Chiora was dotted with odd iron structures that Ven couldn't make heads or tails of; they looked like the architectural creations of a madman. And quite appropriately, Zack apparently knew all about these buildings.

"Hey, that looks like a skyscraper!" The mouse excitedly yelled, pointing at an impossibly tall monolith of twisted metal jutting out of the sand. "People used to live in those, Ven!"

For the life of him, the Eevee couldn't understand why humans would have needed such large houses to live in. As far as he knew, humans had not been much larger than him.

And it seemed like seeing the remains of human civilization didn't have the same effect on Zack that seeing the ruins of Lucidia had on Ven; the mouse seemed cheerfully curious rather than soul-crushingly depressed. _I suppose Zack can't feel upset about losing something he doesn't remember, _Ven reasoned. _Not having to feel depressed… honestly, amnesia's sounding pretty nice right about now._

_**-:-**_

"We're here!" Chip's deep voice eventually cried out. The bird outstretched his wings, slowing their descent, and Ven felt the uncomfortable pressure again as they glided down.

Even from high up, the Amber Guild base stood out clearly against the silver of the moonlit sand. The base resembled some sort of castle, though it had many difference to the ones Ven had seen before in Goro's books. Rather than black cobblestone, the high walls were built with smooth solid concrete. Within the square perimeter of the wall were five concrete structures. One of the structures, the one which dwarfed the other four in size, was positioned in the center of the complex. Each of the buildings was dotted with windows; some of them were left wide open, while others were blocked off with rusted bars. In the wide open spaces between the buildings, Ven could make out several dozen dots of light that must have come from campfires. The base was much more… run-down than Ven had expected.

Chip flapped his wings again to halt his fall and released his two passengers. The Eevee and Pikachu landed on the soft sand and Ven struggled to stay balanced, his legs weak and disoriented. Zack, however, was completely fine.

"Weird!" the mouse exclaimed as he leisurely stretched his stubby arms. "This place looks like a run-down prison!"

Chip gave the Pikachu a curious glance. "How did you know? It's true that the Amber Guild base is actually the remains of a human prison."

Before Zack could answer, an energetic voice called out from above them.

"Yo, Chip!"

Just as Ven looked upwards at the source of the voice, a red blur rocketed down from the sky and crashed into him, knocking the air out of his lungs and sending him tumbling across the sand.

"Ven! You okay!?" Zack cried with concern as the Eevee rolled to a stop, his head spinning.

"I'm…fine…" the Eevee muttered. He tried to get up, only to find that his attacker was still on top of him.

"Get…off…" he wheezed angrily at newcomer, a bird almost twice his size who was covered red and grey feathers.

"Ha ha, sorry Eevee! Looks like I still need to work on my landing." The bird jumped to his feet and dusted himself off. "I'm Fledge, by the way. Fledge the Fletchinder."

"Charmed," Ven replied, spitting sand out of his mouth.

After brushing most of the sand out of his feathers, the Fletchinder waddled over to Chip and gave the larger bird a light kick in the shin.

"Chip, you went out alone again," the bird said, wagging a wing in front of the bewildered Braviary's face as if to chide him. "Emmy's not gonna be happy about this."

"Emerald doesn't have to know," was Chip's deadpan response.

"You want to join the Amber Guild, right?" the Braviary turned his attention back to Ven and Zack, ignoring the Fletchinder. "I'll take you to the registration office, get you signed up."

"Aw, Chip! Don't be so cold!" the Fletchinder complained. "Introduce me to your new buddies! The surly Eevee and the…the…"

Fledge's eyes widened as he took in Zack's presence for the first time, his beak opening in surprise before curling up into a big grin. The bird leapt into the air and flew circles around the mouse, observing him thoroughly.

"WOW! A Pikachu!?" Fledge cheered. "You actually found a Pikachu out here? Man, Emmy's gonna be so happy! We haven't found any more escapees since forever!"

"Er…escapees?" Zack asked, blinking his eyes at the sudden attention.

"C'mon you two! Registration office is right by the front entrance. I'll come with you guys!" the Fletchinder continued excitedly.

"Don't you have sentry duty?" Chip questioned. It couldn't have been plainer that the Braviary wasn't looking forward to Fledge's company.

"Eh, sun comes up in just a few minutes," the Fletchinder said dismissively. "Captain won't mind if I take off a little early."

The smaller bird flew back to Chip and landed on the larger bird's crown, rustling his feathers appreciatively. Ven assumed from how comfortably Fledge was acting around the Braviary that the two Flying-types were closer than Chip let on. Though he looked like he wanted to argue, Chip simply sighed and beckoned for Ven and Zack to follow. The two were led around the wall's perimeter and to what must have been the base's front entrance.

In the center of the concrete wall was a massive set of iron doors, covered in intricate carvings of what Ven assumed were Pokémon; a ferocious serpent with a terrifying grimace, two birds flying circles around each other, a fish with a ragged tail and massive fins... Ven had the impression the doors had originally been devoid of decorations and that someone had carved them in much later. Though it was definitely an impressive doorway, Ven found it strange that the front doors of a military compound didn't seem to be guarded in any way.

"Careful guys," Fledge crossed his wings with a smug look. "Might seem like the front entrance is left unguarded, but there're half a dozen Ground-types monitoring visitors from underground. You wouldn't want to set them off."

Ven flinched like the ground had suddenly burned his feet and nervously looked around. _There're Pokémon? Underground, watching me right this second?_ The Eevee continued walking with slow, gentle steps, as though sending too many vibrations into the earth might somehow agitate these hidden Ground-types.

"And there's also the Ghost-types hidden in the darkness, the Flying-types patrolling the skies…" the Fletchinder continued happily. Ven concluded that the bird was actually _enjoying_ making him paranoid.

"Fledge. Don't scare the rookies," Chip warned. "Don't worry Ven. Sentries won't attack you guys if you're with us."

"I'm not scared," Ven answered grumpily. _Just… a little creeped out is all._

As the group approached the massive doors, they slowly opened outwards on their own. As impressive as their autonomy was, the Eevee couldn't help but get more freaked out; so there _was _someone watching them, invisibly holding the doors open for them.

_Good service,_ Ven thought to himself, trying to lighten up. _Very polite._

Chip led Ven and Zack inside, entering a very long but narrow room. A desk sat on one side of the room, where an odd cracked stone was placed carefully next to a feather quill and inkwell. Blue flames exuded from the stone, lighting up the whole room with an eerie glow. Dozens of shelves filled with scrolls lined the walls behind the desk, while the opposite wall was covered with thousands of nonsensical words and names carved into the rock in Footprint Runes. At the end of the room was a massive doorway that must've led to the rest of the base.

"Yo, Kyon!" The Fletchinder hopped down from his perch atop Chip's head and called towards the unmanned desk. "Look what the Braviary dragged in!"

"What is it now Fledge?" a silky voice replied. And out from behind a shelf came the most beautiful Pokémon Ven had ever seen. It was a slender Ninetales, creamy fur shining brilliantly against the light of the flame, her many tails flowing elegantly behind her. Ven felt his ears heat up at the spectacle.

"Good evening Fledge," Kyon greeted. "So, what exactly has Chiranius dragged in today?"

"That's your cue," Fledge smiled and nudged Ven and Zack towards the Ninetales. The slender fox looked supremely unimpressed.

"I assume these children are here to join the Amber Guild?"

The nervous Eevee found his voice and tried to talk in a steady voice. "Y-yeah. I'm Ven and this Zack."

The Nintales raised her eyebrow a fraction of an inch.

"Zack? That is… a very unique name."

"Er, is it?" Ven grinned nervously.

Kyon's face was unreadable. Without another word, she gracefully wrapped one of her tails around a quill and brought out a piece of parchment, jotting their names down.

"Now Chiranius," Kyon sighed. "I hope that you, master of the verbal arts that you are, thought to question these two before bringing them directly to the front entrance of the Amber Guild?"

The Braviary averted his gaze before he awkwardly replied, "They're nice."

"_Nice_ does not equate to_ trustworthy_," the Ninetales reprimanded, irritably rubbing the bridge of her snout with one of her many tails. "Come over here Eevee, Pikachu. As our grandiloquent friend did not have the foresight to confirm your allegiances, _I_ will have to do so now."

"S-say what?" Ven backed away from the Ninetales. "You're not seriously going to torture us or something!?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Kyon spat. "Do you honestly believe the Amber Guild would ever resort to such disgusting methods? Now look into my eyes; I'll simply take a quick look through your minds and-"

Now hang on a minute. That didn't sound any better than torture to the Eevee. Ven's mother had been an Espeon, and the Psychic-type had taken advantage of every power her typing had given her. Dishonest children were never problems for her when she could simply read their minds; it was easy to find out if they really didn't steal that treat before dinner. He knew how uncomfortable the process felt, and it had been bad enough when his own mother was doing it; now Ven was supposed to consent to a complete stranger probing his mind?

'W-wait! I don't think that'll be necessary either!"

"On the contrary, Eevee, it is quite necessary," Kyon retorted. "For all we know, you could be spies for the Luminaries, or perhaps criminals hoping to steal valuable items from our base."

A surprisingly strong tail held his head firmly in place as the Ninetales' face approached his own. Ven would've been captivated by her beautiful ruby eyes if he wasn't so terrified. Ven was about to voice his objections but found that he couldn't move a muscle. A familiar wave of weightlessness overtook his body and it felt like something was crawling around inside his brain.

_Don't worry. _Kyon's smooth voice rang out in Ven's head. _This will only take a minute or two if you don't struggle._

_H-hey! I didn't give you permission to-!_

All of a sudden, Ven's vision started to blur. The stone office disappeared and was replaced by a sandstone hut. Zack and Chip and Fledge weren't behind him anymore. In their place were an Espeon and three Umbreon; his family. The Ninetales was looking through his memories.

_Th-that's private! _

_Quiet. Don't resist._

The beige of sandstone disappeared just as suddenly as it had appeared, now replaced by the red of blazing fire. Pain-stricken screams filled Ven's ears.

_I see, I see. Bandit raid, family killed… _the Ninetales nonchalantly continued. _So you have a motive to join us. You're from "Lucidia Town", is it? I cannot say I've heard of it. I will have to have a look through our records later..._

_D-damn it, stop! This is personal!_

The Ninetales' crimson eyes sharpened into a glare that sent a cold chill down the Eevee's spine.

_Personal? _Nothing _is personal to the Rebellion. Every little detail about its members must be verified and recorded. Complete loyalty must be ensured lest the entire operation fall apart. Did you know that the Braviary standing behind you has lost his entire family to the war? Or that the Fletchinder beside you was born alone in a cave, lost and confused and abandoned by his parents? Every single Pokémon in this organization has suffered; do not think that you are so special. There is no _personal_ if you wish to become a member of the Rebellion. Control your emotions Eevee, unless you want me to deem you a danger to the Amber Guild and have you locked away for our safety._

Ven wanted to scream, to break away from the Ninetales' hold, but held his ground. Suddenly he was back in the registration office, though the sounds of screams were still echoing inside his head.

_Now be quiet. I still need to check your Pikachu friend._

_...He's not my 'friend', _Ven thought warily, but the Ninetales had already shifted her gaze towards Zack. _Just… a lunatic I'm responsible for._

The Pikachu didn't have nearly as much trouble with Kyon. Zack's large, curious eyes stared into the Ninetales' without a trace of discontent or disagreement. How lucky he must be, not having to remember some kind of horrible tragedy… it was then that Ven noticed his own eyes were watering.

"Hey, Ven. Don't be embarrassed," Fledge whispered to him. "You aren't the first new recruit Kyon's driven to tears. I mean, reliving your past? Who wants that noise?"

"Shut up," Ven mumbled, wiping his eyes with his tail.

"Congratulations, neither of you seem to be spies or criminals," Kyon said tonelessly, breaking her gaze with Zack. "You two are now officially part of the Amber Guild. Of course, you'll still have to talk with the Guildmaster if you wish to form a Rescue Team. I am sure the both of you will be _valuable_ additions to our cause."

"Thanks Kyon. See you around," Fledge chirped and hopped towards door. "This way guys!"

Ven made to follow the Fletchinder, his head starting to ache painfully, when he heard Kyon whisper something to Chip.

"Keep an eye on the Pikachu."

The Braviary gave the briefest of nods before waddling over to join the others. "Let's go," he encouraged when Ven eyed him suspiciously.

After giving his aching head a shake, the Eevee pattered after the hyperactive Fletchinder while Zack and Chip trailed behind him, giving him a nervous glance every now and then. Ven appreciated the concern, but he glared back nonetheless, silently telling the two to leave him alone. Fledge led the group down a long, nondescript hallway. More of the odd cracked stones lined the walls, providing light with their flames.

"Everyone's probably still asleep," Fledge whispered. "Explains why it's so quiet here."

"Um… are you okay Ven?" the Pikachu nervously approached the Eevee. "Seemed liked what Kyon did really bothered you."

"I'm fined," Ven brushed off. "I just… have a little headache."

"Chip."

The distinctly feminine voice resounded clearly in the silent hallway. It seemed like the Braviary recognized the voice as he immediately stopped in his tracks. Out from the shadows came an equid with a ridiculously messy mane, her muscular body covered in black and white stripes. The Braviary let out an audible gulp as the Pokémon trotted over to him. Though she was taller than the Braviary by only a few centimeters, the way Chip was looking down with shame made it seem like she was much larger.

"Damn it Chip, how many times do I have to tell you not to sneak out alone. _Especially_ in the middle of the night."

"Sorry," the bird replied sadly. "…Your mane is messy again."

"Oh never mind that!" the equid snapped. "At least _tell _me that you're going to go out adventuring instead of disappearing into the night without a word."

"Hang on, you're a Zebstrika!" Zack piped up innocently. "Ven, you told me that there weren't any Electric-types in Chiora!"

"Mm, did I?" the Eevee muttered disinterestedly. His mind wasn't entirely focused at the moment; his head was still pounding.

The Zebstrika's eyes seemed to pop out of her skull as she finally noticed Zack.

"WOAH! You found a Pikachu!?" she cried. "Awesome; we haven't found another Electric-type for ages! I'm Emerald, by the way!"

"I'm Zack and my friend over here is Ven," Zack said cheerfully. "So… Electric-types…_ aren't_ extinct."

"Well, they are as far as the general public knows. But anyone in the Rebellion knows that the Loomies have a ton of Electric-types in captivity to power their cities."

"Loomies?"

"Luminaries," Emerald huffed. "Bunch of disgusting tyrants. But… you're a Pikachu, shouldn't you know this?"

"Um… I have amnesia."

"No lie? Well, I used to be a lab rat for the Loomies, but I managed to escape a few years ago," the Zebstrika said proudly. "Chip here found me and introduced me to the Amber Guild. Maybe the bastards messed up your memories with their experiments or something?"

"Um, I think there might be a few problems with that theory," Zack smiled nervously.

"Speaking of which, these two want to join the Amber Guild too," Fledge chirped. "We're heading to the Guildmaster's room right now."

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, but Guildmaster isn't here," Emerald informed. The news seemed to greatly shock the two birds. The Zebstrika nodded gravely. "Yeah, I just went to his room and no one was there."

"But Guildmaster's never gone…" Chip mumbled.

"Yeah, it is weird…" Emerald agreed.

"I bet he went down to his secret underground chamber to have a top-secret meeting with the other Guildmasters!" Fledge chimed in, and Chip and Emerald gave him an incredulous look. "What? You guys never heard the rumour that Guildmaster has a secret underground chamber for secret meetings?"

"That's ridiculous Fledge. He probably just went out to get a breather, as our feathery friend here is prone to do," Emerald suggested, glaring at the Braviary. "Anyhoo, Chip. Next time you want to go out, please, please, _please _tell me first."

The large bird gave a guilty nod and the Zebstrika grinned.

"Lighten up; adventuring is more fun with friends!" she said.

"Yeah! Maybe next time, I could come with you guys!" Fledge added.

"No way," Chip replied curtly.

"Huh!? Why not?"

"Chip's right Fledge," Emerald laughed. "I don't think you'd be able to handle the dangers Team Alpha has to deal with on a regular basis. You're not exactly the strongest Pokémon around…"

"Hey! It's not my fault! Need I remind you that I have a defective flame sac?"

"Which is exactly why…"

Zack watched the three Pokémon's discussion curiously, his head looking at Emerald, then Fledge, then back to Emerald. Meanwhile, Ven's eyelids were drooping, losing his grip on consciousness. Of course, the three Guild members were too occupied with their own bantering to notice.

_These three must be really close to each other. _Ven observed, trying to stop himself from nodding off.

Ven didn't want to admit it, but he was jealous. Jealous and lonely. Seeing Chip, Fledge and Emerald talking so casually and playfully reminded him of his own friends and family. The weight of what had happened tonight finally hit him. His family was dead. He was an orphan.

His stomach was painfully empty. His body ached after his run-in with Fledge. His head was pounding after the impromptu mind-reading. Quest for revenge be damned; for now, Ven just wanted to feel the sweet embrace of sleep.

"By the way, we better find you two a place to sleep," the Zebstrika finally turned her attention back to Ven and Zack. "You look really beat."

Right on cue, there was a soft _thud _as the exhausted Eevee met the stone floor.

* * *

**A/N: **Apologies for another late update. Even without school, I'm surprisingly busy with other stuff. Homework, spending time with family and all that... Er, happy holdiays! :D

By the way, if anyone's interested in sending in an OC feel free to PM me for details.


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